One of the Boys [BxB]

CH 2 ● My Sweet Lord

The danger was in-between everyone's pouted lips. A bloke rocking a blocked afro dripped in the jet-black uniform handed me a packet and I shook my head, smiling politely. He patted me on the back. Students round him occupied themselves with chatting using over-the-top waves circling around air. I backed away remembering what I had to do before class begun.

All students hurdled in a meeting round an entrance, no, I was told it was a different entrance. Where was it hiding? I tried to go on my tiptoes, but I stumbled over only to be caught by the guy from earlier.

"You new?" he asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "The main office?"

"C'mon, I'll let you in the trade secrets, this way."

The boy's eyes shined an Earth maroon taking away from his overly large ears. He was honey brown in skin not far-off a tan. His smile was taking over half his face. I quickly looked to the floor after I realised, I was staring.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be, like what you see?"

I shrugged, pushing the fallen strap back onto my shoulder.

"I like what I see," he said.

My face was hot, boiling rose, I didn't want to look back up god why was I such a mess. I held the timetable in front of me doubling that I had mine and not my host brother's. James was printed on the line. The columns glared daring to jump off the page and command me what I should do. Only two breaks. There were no breaks at Camp unless there were people coming over to visit. I wonder who visits on the breaks that it is needed to be twice per day.

Miss. Kettle was the person to keep us in check for fifteen minutes till class started. Kettle. . . Kettles were used to boil the Commander's tea. The job was rotated between the camps. The Commander was specific about what he wanted not being shy to tell you when you messed up or be sent to the bunker. It was dark in the bunker. Green slime melted on the curved walls. Out of the camp, I was in there the most, for the longest, and the one who always failed to understand the no screams.

Screaming is what gave me extra days. The longest I was in the bunker was a week, my claw marks engraved in the back of the door hoping to find any way out. Only the iron key let the campers back into the field. The key strapped to the Commander's belt never out of sight.

I did not know why he wished to keep us in the camp.

No one dared to ask.

No pay, no reference, all of us left shaken to the veins and no answers. It was a joke how no one in Hartsay could torture a word out the man. I would have shot him dead when he stepped foot over my boarder.

"James, ey," The student said. "I'm Simon."

"Hi Simon, nice to meet you," I say, memorised.

"And you, James."

And you? I often received a heavy handshake from the visitors who was pleased by my politeness. I did not want to shake their hands. The first time I refused I was forced to be in the bunker. That was my first time.

"Earth to James?" Simon said, his hand swirling in front of me. "This is the main office. I have to use the other entrance. I'm in the year above, we won't have any classes together. I'll look out for you, anyone who gives you shit send them over to me and I'll sort them out."

"No!" I shouted.

Students turned to see what was going on.

The ground was grey and bobble-like. I hid as best as I could from covering the side of my face with my palm. My expiration date closed in vibrating in my chest. I did not have two in the space of an hour. I managed to busy myself by helping around the house.